Capitol Steps
from the office of Representative Ken Paxton

The Governor's Criminal Justice Division
 
Each year, the Governor's Criminal Justice Division (CJD) administers over $130 million in state funding for local, regional, and statewide criminal justice-related projects.  The purpose of this funding is to create projects that will help protect people from crime, reduce the number of crimes committed, and promote accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness for the criminal justice system.  CJD focuses resources on projects that enhance Texas' capacity to prevent crime, provide a number of service and treatment options, enforce laws, train staff and volunteers and serve crime victims.  All CJD grant programs have two main values: To encourage innovative solutions for crime prevention and treatment; and to provide for local control.
 
One area of focus for the CJD is juvenile justice and prevention, since early intervention can make a significant difference in crime reduction.  CJD funds prevention initiatives that impact schools, families, and communities to build meaningful relationships between children and adults.  Some prevention programs include violent behavior alternatives, drug and alcohol abuse prevention, after-school activities, etc.  These juvenile justice projects hold offenders accountable while also providing meaningful intervention. 
 
CJD also funds a variety of grants for law enforcement programs for investigation, enforcement, prosecution, substance abuse treatment and training.  This funding may also be redirected to homeland security initiatives, including border security, emergency communication systems training and coordinated response planning when necessary. 
 
Local Texas Crime Stoppers programs also receive funds from CJD for their operation.  The Crime Stoppers program accepts anonymous tips and provides rewards if these tips lead to convictions.  Texas Crime Stoppers funds a 24-hour, toll-free hotline for gathering information on unsolved crimes.  This program provides a partnership between the public, law enforcement agencies and the media in hopes of apprehending criminals. 
 
Finally, CJD provides funding for victims' services to provide professional training to peace officers, staff and volunteers who work directly with victims of crime.  Proper training leads to the likelihood that victims will be treated appropriately and their needs identified quickly.  CJD funds provide direct services to victims of domestic violence, drunk driving, and sexual assault.  These direct services include outreach, advocacy, crisis centers and shelters.
 
For more information on grants for crime prevention and aid for victims, visit the Governor's website at  http://www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/cjd or call 512-463-1919.  To report a crime or provide information to help solve a crime, contact Texas Crime Stoppers at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
 

Transportation Funding  
 
With recent discussions regarding the controversy of added tollroads, I have a had a number of constituents ask me about the funding structure for transportation.  Along with my several of my colleagues in the Legislature, I agree that changes must be made regarding how transportation dollars are spent.  With traffic an increasingly significant problem in Collin County, all possibilities must be examined in order to create and implement a cost-effective solution to address this problem in a timely manner. 
 
Several people have especially expressed concern regarding how dollars from the gasoline tax are spent.  The current state tax in Texas is 20 cents per gallon for both gasoline and diesel fuel.  The current federal tax rate is 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel fuel.  Three-fourths of the state gasoline tax revenue is allocated to the State  Highway Fund.  One quarter of this revenue goes to the Available School Fund, as formalized in the "Good Roads Amendment" to the Texas Constitution of November 5, 1946; however, it appears to have been a legislative practice for many years prior to that.
 
Texas has not raised the tax rates on gasoline and diesel fuels since 1991.  In that year, the Legislature raised the gasoline tax from 15 cents per gallon to 20 cents per gallon.  The five cents per gallon increase generated approximately $600 million per year; however an analysis by the Citizens for a Sound Economy found that no new money was actually generated for transportation.
 
In addition to the gas tax, the state has ten or so other transportation-related taxes.  These include license and vehicle registration fees, car rental taxes, title fees, etc.  However, of the $6.9 billion a year raised from these transportation-related taxes, only $2.8 billion (37%) of this money actually goes to the State Highway Fund to pay for transportation statewide.  Of the $6.9 billion raised, more than half of this money goes to the general fund. The general fund pays for the state's day-to-day expenses, which include everything from prisons to health care.  Approximately 5% of the $6.9 billion goes to the Department of Public Safety, which enforces the law on highways. 
 
The state's portion of the sales tax on rental cars goes into the general fund, and the money collected for driver's license renewals also goes into the general fund.  Only a portion of the money from annual vehicle registration fees goes to the State Highway Fund, while the rest goes into the general fund. 
 
The budget for the State Highway Fund is broken down as follows:

• $918.1 million (17%) for "Plan It" - This funding includes right of way acquisition, research (where should the medians go, etc.) and the planning/designing/managing plans.
• $1,668.8 million (30%) for "Build It" - This funding is primarily used for highway road construction.
• $166.1 million (3%) for "Use It" - This funding includes public transportation funding, vehicle registration and regulation, traffic safety, travel information and auto theft prevention programs.
• $2,251.8 million (40%) for "Maintain It" - This funding is used for routine maintenance, contracted maintenance, Gulf coastal waterway maintenance and the ferry system.
• $184.2 million (3%) for "Manage It" - This funding is used for administration on the state and regional levels, computer projects and other support systems.
• $409.4 (7%) for "Other Agency Expenses" - This includes Department of Public Safety, Higher Education Coordinating Board (campus streets) , the Arts Commission, Historical Commission, Mental Health and Mental Retardation roads, park roads and materials for county roads.

 
I believe more of the money raised from transportation-related taxes and fees should actually go to fund the planning, building and maintaining of infrastructure.  Additional tollroads may be necessary if a new formula for distributing transportation dollars still leaves us without the money to build necessary infrastructure for Collin County.  However, I would prefer not place a heavier burden on taxpayers.  I will continue researching this issue and working with my colleagues to work towards creating the best plan for Collin County and for Texas.
 
 

Texas Task Force 1  

Hurricane Charley swept across the mid-Atlantic coast hitting Florida particularly hard.  Charley is responsible for the deaths of over 20 people, and hundreds of people remain missing.  In response, Governor Rick Perry has offered assistance by sending to Florida two of our State's top disaster response teams, Texas Task Force 1 (TX-TF1)and Texas Lone Star State, a team of federal, state, and local officials that helps manage response coordination in emergencies.
 
Texas Task Force 1 was originally created in response to the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma in 1995 when members of the primary search and rescue efforts under the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) considered that such an attack could also happen in Texas.  After an advisory panel, which included three representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), formed to determine the feasibility and logistics of creating a search and rescue operation in Texas, the advisory board worked with the TEEX to appoint 124 applicants to serve on the Task Force.  TX-TF1 assembled in 1997 for its first organizational meeting and the Legislature allocated $2 million at that time to equip, train and operate this Task Force.
 
Serving as an Urban Search and Rescue response team, TX-TF1 provides a coordinated response to disasters in urban environments and is capable of responding to a number of state and national disasters, including earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and terrorist events.  The Task Force, which is based out of College Station, is designed for rapid deployment.  In order to successfully free victims trapped in collapsed structures, confined spaces or trenches, TX-TF1 has specialists in four areas: Search operations, rescue operations, medical treatment and technical support for task force operations.  Each task force brings its own cache to the scene.  A cache weighs over 25 tons and has 12,000 items of specialized equipment, including hydraulic jacks, rams, high-tech listening devices, hazardous material monitoring equipment, breaking and lifting equipment and specialized medical equipment. 
 
TX-TF1 is one of 28 National Urban Search and Rescue teams in the nation which FEMA coordinates.  The Task Force has been instrumental in providing assistance as a result of events both in Texas and nationwide, including the Aggie Bonfire Collapse in 1999, the tornado in Fort Worth in 2000, the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City and the recovery efforts  after the explosion of the Space Shuttle Columbia. 
 
For more information about TX-TF1, please visit their website at http://usar.tamu.edu.  This website provides information on upcoming training opportunities, position requirements and applications for interested individuals as well as general information for anyone interested in learning more about the Task Force.
 

Amber Alert

The Amber Alert Plan originated in Texas in 1996, following the kidnap and murder of  9-year-old Amber Hagerman in Arlington. This media-notification plan that publicizes information on abducted children through electronic billboards, TV, and radio has since been taken to the national level with federal legislation sponsored by U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison from Texas.
 
Amber Alert is only used for a small number of cases involving missing children because if the distress message is sent out too often, it will be less effective.  The public will be less apt to pay close attention if the Amber Alert becomes routine.
 
Texas has a strict criteria for issuing an Amber Alert. Officials from the Texas Department of Public Safety are authorized to activate and deactivate the network for alerts based on the particular facts of each case.  Oftentimes, the amount of information provided for each case is a determining factor as to whether or not an alert is issued. To activate the network, the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction must determine that the case meets the following criteria:
 

• The child is 17 years of age or younger;
• The local law enforcement agency believes that the child has been abducted - unwillingly taken from his/her environment without permission from a child's parent or legal guardian;
• The local law enforcement agency believes that the missing child is in immediate danger of serious bodily harm or death;
• The local law enforcement agency confirms that an investigation has taken place to eliminate alternative explanations for the missing child; and
• Sufficient information is available to disseminate to the public that could assist in locating the child, the suspect, or the vehicle used in the abduction.

 
Teaching your children safety tips can oftentimes save them from being harmed.  The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) does not advise the "stranger-danger" message since the concept of "stranger" is often difficult for children to understand.  Rather, it is more beneficial to teach children how to behave in any potentially dangerous situation.  Some tips from the NCMEC to help parents reduce the chances of their child being abducted include:
 

• Teach children to run away from danger;
• Never let children go places alone;
• Know where your children are at all times;
• Communicate openly with your children about safety and any pending suspicions they might have;
• Do not trust your children with any adult you do not know or trust; and
• Practice what you teach by creating "what if" scenarios.

 
For more information on protection strategies, visit NCMEC's website at www.missingkids.com. The website offers a number of activities and information for parents, children and teens.  Also, if you suspect a child is in danger, always call local law enforcement officials immediately.
 

New Web Site Helps Texans Find Employment
 
The process of looking for a job is oftentimes daunting and overwhelming.  Businesses also face the challenges of spending valuable time and resources to identify qualified employees for job openings.
 
The State has developed a new website designed to assist Texans looking for work and employers looking to fill openings.  WorkInTexas.com has been created by Texas Workforce Solutions, a collaboration between the Texas Workforce Commission and the 28 local workforce development boards in the State.  The site offers two different home pages: one for employers and one for employees. 
 
WorkInTexas.com helps people locate jobs ranging from entry-level to executive positions through access to up-to-the-minute job openings throughout the state.  For Texans seeking jobs, one of the primary functions of the site is to list job openings and to help match candidates with positions for which they are qualified.  The site is simple to navigate and offers a wide variety of services, such as resume preparation, career planning and training, interviewing tips, childcare assistance and numerous links to other job-searching related sites.  The staff of WorkInTexas.com is also available to help with any technical difficulties that might occur while using the site. 
 
WorkInTexas.com also assists employers with finding qualified employees through a number of services offered on the site.  Employers can use the site to post job openings and browse resumes of potential employees.  Email notifications and job-matching technology help ensure that an employer quickly knows when a qualified candidate is identified.  Additionally, the website offers employers services such as resume evaluation and interview assistance.   A hit counter on all job postings allows employers to see the number of people that have viewed their postings.
 
To utilize the services offered by the website, users are required to register and provide personalized information. Although the process is somewhat detailed, it helps accurately match people with jobs suitable to their individual skills.  Plus, this information can later be used to easily build a resume on the site.
 
In the first nine weeks of operation for WorkInTexas.com, 34,761 Texas employers registered, 3,611,450 job seekers used the site and 19,203 hires were recorded.  To learn more about this service offered by Texas Workforce Solutions, visit the website at www.WorkInTexas.com or contact your local workforce center. 
 
Please contact me at ken.paxton@house.state.tx.us or by calling 972/562-4543 or 512/463-0356 with any comments or concerns.